1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to safing insulation and, particularly, to safing insulation with pre-applied smoke sealant and methods for using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Modern, multiple story buildings may be formed with an external wall structure that is secured to a floor slab. The external wall structure, or curtainwall, is secured to the slab, which is made of concrete, at a distance spaced away from the slab. By creating a gap between the slab and the curtainwall, proper alignment of the curtainwall is ensured. For example, in the event that the slab for a particular floor is not entirely straight or the slabs of adjacent floors are not properly aligned, the size of the gap between the curtainwall and one of the slabs may be adjusted at various points along the slab to align the curtainwall so that it is substantially straight along the entire length of the building.
While the created void or gap between the curtain wall and the slab of a building may be necessary to allow for proper alignment of the curtainwall, in the event of a fire, smoke, hot gasses, and/or flames may pass from one floor to another through the gap between the curatinwall and the slab. In order to prevent fire and/or smoke from passing freely through this gap, safing insulation may be positioned between the slab and a spandrel of the curtainwall. Specifically, the spandrel areas of the curtainwall may be backed by a layer of spandrel insulation and the safing may be positioned between the spandrel insulation and the slab in order to fill the gap between the spandrel and the slab.
In order to increase the ability of the safing insulation to prevent the passage of smoke, hot gasses, and/or fire, the safing insulation, which may be manufactured from mineral wool, for example, is compressed before being inserted between the spandrel insulation and the slab. The safing insulation is then maintained in a compressed condition between the spandrel insulation and the slab. By maintaining the safing insulation in a compressed condition, the density of the safing insulation is increased, which increases the ability of the safing insulation to prevent the passage of smoke, hot gasses, and/or fire therethrough.
For an additional barrier to the passage of smoke and/or hot gasses through the safing insulation, a smoke sealant may be applied to an upper surface of the safing insulation. Further, in order to retard to the passage of smoke and/or hot gasses through the junctions between the safing insulation and the spandrel insulation, as well as between the safing insulation and the slab, the smoke sealant may be applied to extend at least one inch onto both the spandrel insulation and the slab. While this method of application of smoke sealant is effective, it is time consuming, particular when only a small portion of safing insulation needs to be coated. For example, on a job site, it is not uncommon that additional work needs to be performed after the safing insulation and smoke sealant are installed. As a result, the additional work may result in damage to the safing insulation and/or the smoke sealant that requires replacement of the safing insulation and smoke sealant. Additionally, if the insulation is installed before the building is dried in and moisture enters the building, the safing insulation may become wet and need to be replaced. If smoke sealant has already been applied to the safing insulation, the safing insulation and its corresponding smoke sealant are removed from the gap. Then, in order to replace the removed safing insulation, a piece of safing insulation having a substantially similar size as the safing insulation that was removed is positioned between the slab and spandrel insulation and the smoke sealant is applied to the new safing, the slab, and the spandrel insulation, as necessary.
However, in order to apply the smoke sealant to the new safing insulation, spraying equipment that is used for applying the smoke sealant must be brought to the job site and moved to the location of the new safing insulation. Then, once the smoke sealant is applied to the new safing, the spraying equipment must be cleaned and removed from the job site. While this process is effective, it is both time consuming and labor intensive.